Refrigerator having a baffle structure



T. W. `RUNDELL REFRIGERATOR HAVING A BAFFLE .STRUCTURE June 6, 1950 Filed Feb. 5, 1948 n.. .fr m@ mm M 0 0 w l Patented June 6, 1950 I aEFaIGEaA'roa HAVING A BAFFLE s'raUo'rUaa Theodore W. Rundeli, Abington, Pa., asslgnor to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 5,1948, Serial No. 6,389

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to refrigerator construction and, more particularly, is concerned with partition or baille structures used with domestic refrigerators.

Still more particularly, the present invention has to do with new and useful improvements in baille or partition structures for domestic refrigerators of the type provided with' a plurality of food storage compartments, each of which is adapted to be cooled and maintained at a particular predetermined condition of temperature and humidity.

In considering the invention, it should be borne in mind that it has proven desirable to provide not only a freezing compartment, but also a socalled moist-cold compartment maintained at a temperature above the freezing point of water and at a relative humidity value sufficiently high properly to preserve foodstuiis, such as fresh fruits, vegetables or the like, without dehydration. Such compartments, or zones, may conveniently be provided by dividing the space defined by the inner liner into upper and lower food storage compartments, by means of a generally horizontal partition or baille. One of these two compartments is usuallyA refrigerated by an levaporator' which is maintained at a temperature well below 32 F., for low temperature freezing and storage purposes, while the other compartment is maintained at a temperature above 32 F. '(for example, in the neighborhood of 38 to 40 FJ, and comprises the aforementioned high humidity zone.

'I'he partition or baule which subdivides the cabinet interior into said upper and lower compartments should be substantially imperforate, so as to prevent the circulation of air betweenthe two compartments and' consequent interference withthe temperature and humidity conditions respectively maintained in each compartment. It is highly desirable that the partition be disposed closely adjacent the low temperature evap orator means arranged within the upper cold storage compartment, and that the edges of said partition extend into contact with the vertically extending compartmentdening walls of the refrigerator. Further, it is advantageous to provide apparatus in which the partition has its forward edge arranged in close adjacency to the forward lower edge of the low temperature evaporator, and that said partition slope downwardly toward the rear wall of the cabinet, in order to deliver moisture to a suitable drain receptacle disposed in the back portion of the cabinet. It will be understood that the disposition of the to the front lower edge of the evaporator is advantageous in that it minimizes entrance of moisture-laden air into the space immediately below the said evaporator. It is necessary, from time to time, to defrost th low temperature evaporator in such refrigerators, and a major problem has resulted from the tendency of the ice-freed during the defrosting process-to drop, in relatively large masses, and to lie upon the upper surface oi' the mentioned baille or partition. As will be appreciated, ice masses so freed from the evaporator melt very slowly, since they are out of thermal conductive relation with the source of heat introduced into the evaporator during the defrosting process, and, in prior constructions, it has been virtually impossible to remove such ice masses in view of the above-mentioned close adjacency of the forward edge of the partition to the lower portion of the evaporator.

Accordingly, and with the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide, in a refrigerator of the type set forth, a partition or baffle structure which, while firmly supported and secured within the refrigerator and normally serving to meet the several conditions aforesaid, is of such a nature as to provide for ready removalof ice masses freed during the defrosting process With more particularity, it is an object of my invention to provide a refrigerator of the stated type, in which the partition member is normally:

maintained in an upper position, for reasons set forthv above, and is so constructed and arranged within the refrigerator as to permit lowering thereof, thereby accommodating ready and easy removal oi the ice collected upon its upper surface.

In one aspect of the invention, it is also an object to provide refrigeration apparatus of the foregoing type, in which the movable partition.

structure is cooled by the evaporator portion of a closed, secondary refrigerating system.

To the foregoing general ends, the invention contemplates provision of a. refrigerator which includes partition structure normally disposed and sloped in accordance with the requirements -above set forth, and which is hingedly sup- A ported-preferably along the rear edge thereofto provide for lowering of the partition structure and consequent access to the space between said structure and the overlying evaporator. Resilient means is provided which normally urges said structure toward and maintains it in its upper position, and it is a feature of the invention that, if desired, such resilient force may be afforded -by the conduits or passages of the sec` ondary refrigeration system.

These and other objects of the invention. together with certain subordinate features and details of construction thereof, are hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a refrigerator embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 and illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing an element of the invention disassociated from the refrigerator; and,

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the partition structure shown in Figures 1 and 2, and including a secondary refrigerating system effective to cool said structure.

Now making more particular reference to the drawings, and especially to Figure 1 thereof, the embodiment illustrated therein includes a domestic refrigerator having an outer shell IIIV and an inner shell or liner member II, spaced inwardly of and insulated from the outer shell Il) by means of-insulation shown at I2. As is customary, a breaker strip I3, of low thermal conductivity, extends about the forward face of the cabinet and bridges the gap between the said outer shell I and the inner liner II. It will be understood that the refrigerator also includes a compartment housing a condensing unit of any desirable type, but illustration of this portion of the apparatus is not necessary herein, since the present invention ls not concerned therewith.

As clearly appears in Figure 1, the space within the inner liner II is subdivided into an upper, relatively low temperature storage compartment I4 and a lower moist-cold storage compartment I 5, by means of the partition structure of the present invention, designated generally by the reference character I 6. The front access opening of the refrigerator is provided with a door I1, hinged in any suitable manner, and carrying about its inner peripheral surface the usual resilient gasket I8, adapted to seal the compartment by seating against the cabinet in the plane of the aforesaid breaker strip I3. The door I 'I is further provided wltha horizontally extending gasket portion I9 disposed at the level of the forward edge of the partition I6 and adapted, when the door is closed, to engage and seal against a suitable gasket element 20 carried by the forward edge of partition I6. Further construction of the door and its gaskets may be conventional in nature.

The upper zone or compartment I4 is utilized as the colder temperature compartment, as above indicated, and to this end said compartment is provided with an evaporator 2l which may be -'of conventional U-shaped configuration, and

preferably is of a width such that it extends throughout a substantial portion of the width of the refrigerator; although, for the primary purposes of the present invention,'lesser widths would be feasible. The evaporator 2| would, of

Y course, be coupled to the condensing unit mentioned above, through suitable suction and feed lines, which it is not necessary to illustrate herein. The moist-cold compartment I5, on the other hand, is illustrated as adapted for cooling by heat exchange effected through the partition structure I6 and, to promote such heat exchange, the partition structure is provided with a sec- 4 ondary refrigerating system 22. While the secondary system may advantageously take the form shown in the drawings and best illustrated in Figure 4. other convenient arrangements may be employed within the broad concept of the invention. s

l In the broader aspect of the present invention, any suitable means may be employed to effect cooling of the compartment I5, but it will be understood that any cooled surfaces presented within the said compartment I5 should preferably reach a temperature somewhat above 32 F. at least intermittently, in order to prevent frosting-out of moisture desired in the moistcold space.

It will be observed that the partition structure I8 preferably comprises a pan-like member having upstanding peripheral wall portions 23, as appears to best advantage in Figure 4. Thus, the partition comprises a shallow receptacle disposed immediately beneath the evaporator ZI and effectively preventing interchange of air and moisture between the two-compartments I4 and I 5. Further, and in accordance with the practice preferred in such refrigerators, the forward edge 24 of the partition is arranged in close subjacency to the lower forward portion of the evaporator 2 I, to minimize entrance of moistureladen air into the space betwee'n the partition and said evaporator, and said partition slopes downwardly toward the back of the refrigerator at an angle-with respect to the horizontaljust sumclent to deliver moisture which may be collected on both its lower and upper surfaces into a location overlying a drain receptacle indicated at 25, and supported -by a shelf 26 disposed within the compartment I5. In order that moisture collected upon the said upper surface may be delivered to the drain receptacle, the partition is apertured as at A (Figure 4) in a region overlying the receptacle.

The rear edge of the baille structure I6 is pivotally secured to the inner liner II, through the agency of hinge and spring assemblies, one of which appears at 21 in Figures 1 and 3. While several such assemblies are employed in practice, only one need be illustrated since they are all of similar construction. The assembly 21 comprises a hinge having one, leaf thereof (21a) welded or otherwise secured to the lower surface of the partition. The other leaf 28 is carried by a support 29 fixed to the wall of the cabinet, and a spring shown at S urges the partition structure toward the normal position, shown in full lines.

In the embodiment thus far described, the secondary refrigeration system 22 comprises an evaporator portion 30 and a relatively elevated condenser portion 3|. The evaporator portion is secured to the upper surface of the partition structure, while the condenser portion is dis-v posed for contact with an extension 32 of the evaporator 2|, when the partition is in the normal position shown in full lines in Figure 1.

As will now be understood, the partition may be rotated downwardly around the pivots provided by the assemblies 21, to permit removal of freed ice masses. Due to the slope of partition structure I6, under normal conditions, and the presence of drain aperture A, no substantial quantities of water will be present in the structure during lowering thereof.

While, as fully set forth above, the invention contemplates that the partition I6 may serve as the ice-collecting receptacle, it is frequently asians highly advantageous to employ a withdrawable shallow pan interposed between the evaporator and the partition structure. Such a pan is fragmentarily illustrated at lia, in Figure l, and it will be seen that the rearportion of said pan is provided with an aperture (A'), so located that water collectedy in the pan may iiow to the receptacle 2B through partition aperture A.

It will be seen that movement of the partition structureA to the lower position, illustrated in dashed lines, presents a considerable gap between the forward edge of` the partition and the lower portion of the evaporator 2|, and thereby permits ready and direct removal of thefree ice masses, or withdrawal of the auxiliary drain pan, if such be employed. By virtue of the relative location of evaporator extension 32 and the secondary condenser portion 3 I-which latter lies forwardly of extension 32--the partition structure I 8 may be lowered to the position shown in dashed lines without interference from said elements 3| and 32 which are normally disposed to make contact with oneanother.

Now making reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2,v which embodiment is essentially similar to that just described, it will be observed that the secondary refrigeration system is provided with a condenser portion 3Ia, so disposed as to make contact with the rear side of an evaporator extension 32a, when the partition structurel is in its upper, normal position. Additionally, as appears in Figurel 4, the condenser portion includes crossed conduits 33 and 3l which permit considerable lexure of the secondary system, during lowering of the partition. Since the condenser portion ala bears against the rear surface of the evaporator extension 32a, as above described, and in view of the said freedom for flexure,v the partition I6 is maintained .in its upper, normal position through the resilience of the secondary system itself, no additional spring means being required.' During lowering of the partition, which takes place about a support element shown at 35, the condenser portion Sla is bowed or flexed slightly, as indicated by the arcuate dashed line ofFigure 2, the assembly having sufficient resilience to accommodate automatic return ofthe partition to its upper position when pressure exerted in the downward direction is released.

Thus, it is evident that, by the present invention, there is provided refrigeration apparatus which includes structure which, while firmly supported and arranged within the refrigeration apparatus, is not only effective to serve as an insulating partition and an air excluding baille, but also is of such a nature as to provide for convenient movement thereof to a position affording easy access to and ready removal of ice masses freed during the defrosting process; the apparatus also being characterized by automatic return of the baille, after such removal.

It is within the purview o1' the invention, in the broader aspect, to provide access to the freed ice masses by making a. portion only of the partition structure movable. However, it will be understood that while preferred embodiments have been illustrated-for exemplary purposesthe invention is susceptible of such changes and modifications as properly come within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In.refrigeration apparatus, a cabinethaving walls defining a storage zone, cooling means within said zone and adapted to refrigerate at least a portion thereof, partition structure comprising a pan-like member normally disposed in relatively close subjacency to said cooling means in a position such as to prevent ready access to the space between said cooling means and said pan-like member, means mounting said member for limited movement with respect to said cooling means to a position in which ready access is afforded to the space between said structure and the overlying cooling means, and means restraining said member against such movement, said restraining means comprising resilient refrigerant conduit means secured to said pan-like member in thermal exchange relation therewith and having a portion spaced from said member andiixed with respect to the movements of the latter, said member being movable against the action of said restraining means in response to pressure against an edge portion of the member.

2. In refrigeration apparatus, a cabinet having walls defining a storage zone, cooling means within said zone and adapted to refrigerate at least a portion thereof, partition structure comprising a pan-like member normally disposed in relatively close subjacency to said cooling means in a position such as to prevent ready access to the space between said cooling means and said pan-like member, means mounting said member for limited movement with respect to said cooling means to a position in which ready access is afforded to the space between said structure and the overlying cooling means, and means restraining said member against such movement, said restraining means comprising a closed secondary refrigerant system, said system having an evaporator portion associated with said pan-like member in thermal exchange relation therewith and a condenser portion bearing resiliently against said cooling means, said member being movable against the action of said restraining means in response to pressure against an edge portion of the member.

3. In refrigeration apparatus, a cabinet having Walls defining a storage zone, cooling means within said zone and adapted to refrigerate at least a portion thereof, partition structure comprising a, pan-like member normally disposed in relatively close subjacency to said cooling means in a position such as to prevent ready access to the space between said cooling means and said pan-like member, means pivotally mounting the rear portion of said member to provide for rotational movement of the latter from the said normal position to a lower position in which ready access is afforded to the space between said structure and the overlying cooling means, and resilient means restraining said member against such rotational movement, said member being rotatable against the action of said resilient means and in response to pressure exerted downwardly against the forward portion of said member.

4. In refrigeration apparatus, a cabinet having walls defining a storage zone, cooling means within said zone and adapted to refrigerate at least a portion thereof, partition structure comprising a pan-like member normally disposed in relatively close subjacency to said cooling means in a position such as to prevent ready access to the space between said cooling means and said pan-like member, means responsive to the application of force against said partition structure to present an opening through which access may be had to the space between said structure and the over- 76 lying cooling means, and means effective to close l said opening following removal of the applied force.

5. In refrigeration apparatus, s. cabinet having walls deiining a storage zone. cooling means within said zone and adapted Ato refrigerate at least a portion thereof, partition structure normally disposed in relatively close subjacency to said cooling means in a position such as to prevent ready access to the space between said cooling means and said partition structure, means mounting said partition structure within said cabinet with freedom for movement from the aforesaid normal position to a lower position in which ready access may be had to the space between said structure and the overlying cooling means, and a pan disposed between said cooling means and said partition structure, said pan being withdrawable from the cabinet when said partition structure has been moved to the said lower` position.

6. In refrigeration apparatus, a cabinet having walls defining a storage zone, cooling means within said zone and adapted to refrigerate at least a portion thereof, partition structure normally disposed in relatively close subjacency to said cooling means in a position such as to prevent ready access to the space between said cooling means and said partition structure, means mounting said partition structure within said cabinet with freedom for movement from the aforesaid normal position to a lower position in which ready access may be had to the space between said structure and the overlying cooling means, and a closed secondary refrigeratiing system having an evaporator portion associated with said partition structure in thermal exchange relation therewith and a condenser portion associated with said cooling means, said condenser portion being fixed with respect to the said movement, and said secondary system comprising tubing having suflicient resilience to accommodate movement of said partition structure from said normal to said lower position.

7. In refrigeration apparatus, a cabinet having walls defining a storage zone, cooling means within said zone and adapted to refrigerate at least a portion thereof, partition structure normally disposed in relatively close subjacency to said cooling means in a position such as to prevent ready access to the space between said cooling means and said partition structure. means mounting said partition structure within said cabinet with freedom for movement from the aforesaid normal position to a lower position in which ready access may be had to the space between said structure and the overlying cooling means, a pan disposed between said cooling means and said-partition structure, said pan being withdrawable from the cabinet when said partition structure has been moved to the said lower position. and a closed secondary refrigerating system having an evaporator portion'secured to said partition structure in thermal exchange relation therewith and a condenser portion associated with said cooling means, said secondary system comprising tubing having sufiicient resilience to accommodate movement of said partition structure from said normal to said lower position.

8. In refrigeration apparatus, a cabinet having walls defining a storage zone, 'cooling means within said storage zone and adapted to' refrigerate at least a portion thereof, partition structure normally disposed in relatively close subjacency to said cooling means in a position such as to prevent ready access to the region immediately above said partition structure, and means .mounting said partition structure within said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,574,008 Schwind Feb. 23, 1926 1,899,852 Chadwick Feb. 28, 1933 2,331,560 Maniscalo Oct. l2, 1943 2,375,359 Hedlund May 8, 1945 2,433,188 Kalischer Dec. 23, 1947 

